Ping Lacson 100% back as blue ribbon chair in November – Sotto

Senator Panfilo Lacson speaks during a privileged speech on flood control projects in the country held at the Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines, Pasay City, August 27, 2025.INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson will be back as head of the Senate’s powerful blue ribbon panel once the upper chamber opens its second regular session in November, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Tuesday.

“Yes,” Sotto told the Inquirer in a text message when he was asked about the matter. But when he was pressed to disclose when and how Lacson was convinced to retake the helm of the panel, Sotto simply said: long story.

“In the course of our many conversations, it has come to his attention [the] clamor of some of our colleagues and the public that he retake the committee,” he added.

In October, Lacson resigned from his post as the chairperson of the blue ribbon panel, emphasizing that there are no political considerations in any of his actions related to handling committee hearings and other related activities.

In a resignation letter dated October 7 addressed to Sotto,  Lacson explained how a number of their colleagues have expressed disappointment with the “direction” of the blue ribbon committee hearings regarding the anomalous flood control projects.

READ: Lacson yet to submit resignation as blue ribbon panel head – Sotto 

“Some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the lower house perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects,” said Lacson.

But according to him, nothing could be further from the truth.

“This narrative is categorically false. These misrepresentations are being floated mostly by critics opposed to our efforts to get to the bottom of the flood control anomalies,” he said.

READ: Lacson’s possible blue ribbon comeback raises Senate leadership stakes 

Lacson underscored that his committee followed the evidence wherever it led, rather than the noise from highly partisan political persuasions.

But now that talks about his return as blue ribbon panel chair have surfaced, Lacson himself told reporters that he warned Sotto about the possibility of losing the support of the majority bloc or even the Senate presidency.

“I have actually discussed this scenario with Senate President Sotto when he broached the idea of giving back the blue ribbon chairmanship to me — that if I am elected again to head the committee, we should be ready for any and all consequences of my actions and decisions including losing some members of the majority bloc and consequently, his senate presidency,” said Lacson then. /jpv